Helene's Impacts on the Carolinas

State and federal money has been slow to arrive, but Madison County locals have been able to get things up and running with donations and volunteer labor. Now they're hoping tourists will return for what could be a make-or-break 2026.

In this latest release, the lion’s share went to North Carolina Emergency Management for the shower stations, water distribution and other emergency services deployed during Helene.

After months of uncertainty over the fate of hundreds of homes, FEMA greenlit a small batch of properties for acquisition in Buncombe and Henderson County.

The projects were among those highlighted Monday at the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority’s Year Ahead event.

Tropical Storm Helene devastated the ski industry in NC with direct damage and discouraging tourists. Snowfall this winter could fuel rebound.

North Carolina's hazard mapping program is trying to better predict which landslide-prone places face threats in future storms. The state's geological survey responded to more slides after Helene than it had between 1990 and 2023.

The grants, which were previously canceled by FEMA, support more than 60 infrastructure projects across the state.

Over the last few months, state officials have raised concerns about FEMA’s response time and its commitment to moving the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program program forward. The agency has not awarded money for any home buyouts yet.

Tennessee Republican Matt Van Epps this week won a special U.S. House election for a conservative district that includes part of Nashville.

The economic distress tier system that NC agencies use to rank counties saw downward movement in places recovering from Helene.